Start: OSX

  1. Start up a Terminal command prompt. You can find the Terminal application through Spotlight, or navigate to Applications/Utilities/Terminal.

  2. To start Python, type

    python

    at the command prompt and hit enter. You should see something like

    Python 2.7.1 (r261:67515, Feb 11 2010, 00:51:29)
[GCC 4.2.1 (Apple Inc. build 5646)] on darwin
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>

    The >>> indicates that you are at a Python prompt.

  3. Exit the Python prompt by typing

    exit()

    and hitting enter. Now you’re back at the OS X command prompt (which looks something like jesstess$).

Success!

Practice these steps until you feel comfortable navigating to a command prompt, starting Python, and exiting Python.